Khalid in the air

Uncertainty hangs over Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s political future in Selangor as sources in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) have indicated that the first-term mentri besar could lose his post even if the pact retains the state in Election 2013.
The PKR leadership has so far refrained from confirming if Khalid would be selected to defend his seat, in light of growing anger among locals who purportedly view the politician as an “absent” representative.
The Malaysian Insider understands the party leadership had also, at one point, considered dropping Khalid as its Ijok candidate following concerns that the mentri besar could lose the seat.
“Locals see him as an absent representative, that he is never around so there is a perception. Sometimes we understand that he is the MB but even his people are never around so it’s hard to work on the ground,” a high ranking PR leader told The Malaysian Insider.
Talks that Khalid would be dropped first surfaced when PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced in October last year that the former would remain as PKR’s Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary candidate but did not state if Khalid (picture) would defend Ijok.
The announcement fuelled suspicion that the party was planning to replace him with current PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, who had purportedly vied for the post.
It also invited accusations that to placate Khalid, Anwar would promise him a federal post should the PR wrest Putrajaya.
“Did he state if Khalid would contest for Ijok? No he did not. You can make your own assumption,” said one PKR official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifudin Nasution, who sits on the party’s candidate listing committee, dismissed the rumour as baseless but did not confirm if the party’s plan to revamp its Selangor state-level line-up would exclude Khalid.
“I am very aware of every detail and there was no such thing. The party’s committee on candidacy chaired by Anwar is still engaging state level leaders on this matter,” he told The Malaysian Insider when asked to verify claims that PKR had once considered dropping Khalid from Ijok.
Spurring rumours of Khalid’s removal are problems afflicting the local PKR machinery.
Sources said Khalid has not been able to campaign effectively following the ongoing animosity between him and key campaign staff members, which has purportedly left the machinery near-paralysed.
There were talks that local leaders had refused to cooperate after Khalid rejected their demands for “payment” in return for their loyalty, as well as claims that Khalid’s poor communication skills and “arrogance” had triggered the rift.
PKR’s Ijok machinery chief staff Abdul Rahman Umar shrugged off the allegations but admitted that the central leadership has yet to confirm if Khalid would contest for the seat again.
“There is no confirmation...but we did nominate Tan Sri Khalid for Ijok,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
Abdul Rahman, a popular local figure known as Cikgu Rahman, explained the perception that the machinery was not with Khalid may have come from the drop in its campaign pace since April last year after there was no indication that elections would be held last year.
“Now we know the elections is near we have start working. Ijok is a small kampung (countryside) community. They will help. When the time comes they will help,” Abdul Rahman said.

Sabahans meet the real Huguan Siou

BEAUFORT: The Prime Minister took a swipe at Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the Huguan Siou controversy by introducing the real holder of the title to the crowd.

At all the three places Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak went during his tour of Sabah yesterday here, Papar and Tuaran he introduced Deputy Chief Minister and PBS president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan as the “original Huguan Siou”.

“This is the real Huguan Siou. Pairin is Huguan Siou. The other one (Anwar) is just palsu (fake),” he told the crowd, who cheered and clapped in response.

Photographs of the Opposition leader wearing a headgear and sash with the words “Huguan Siou” have caused disquiet among Sabahans.

Many have labelled the move to give him the title of paramount leader of the Kadazandusuns an affront to the community.

Speaking at a press conference earlier, Najib said he was satisfied with the preparations made by Sabah Barisan Nasional for the general election.

He said the coalition only faced minor issues and he was confident that they could be ironed out.

“We will continue to go to the ground to explain to the rakyat our policies and future plans.

“A vote for Barisan means a vote for a government with a concrete agenda and for peace and stability,” he said.

Najib added the general election was close but refused to say when it would be called.

Cultural body wants to sort out Huguan Siou conferral

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's main Kadazandusun cultural body is probing reports of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's alleged conferment of the Huguan Siou title.

Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) executive secretary Benedict Topin said it had asked those at Kampung Paginatan in the interior Ranau district where Anwar was said to have been declared the community's paramount leader to give details.

“We are gathering facts on what happened. Then we will hold a meeting of our committee members,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He added that the association viewed the incident seriously.

“All of us Kadazandusun and Murut must unite and defend the integrity of our culture,” said Benedict.

The KDCA is headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who was conferred the life-long Huguan Siou title by bobolianor Kadazandusun priestesses in 1984.

Photographs of Anwar donning traditional headgear and a sash bearing the words Huguan Siou have caused an uproar among Sabahans, with many in the Kadazandusun community saying they felt insulted.

The photographs were posted by Ranau PKR chief Jonathan Yasin on his Facebook page.

Anwar, however, denied he had been bestowed the title.

PKR's would-be political partner Tuaran MP Datuk Wilfred Bumburing's ad hoc movement Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) has demanded an explanation.

APS spokesman Lesaya Lopog Sorudim said they wanted to know how the title could be given to someone not of Kadazandusun descent.

He said the Huguan Siou title could only be held by one person.

“No one on any side of the political divide can declare someone else Huguan Siou,” Lesaya said.

MB Kedah Ugut Kerajaan Pusat!!

Isu tebang hutan: MB Kedah mahu pusat bayar RM100 juta

"Kalau bising sangat (mengenai penebangan balak), bayar kami RM100 juta... hutan hak Kedah...lagipun tak tebang kawasan tadahan air, kawasan hutan simpan saja tebang," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Exco kerajaan negeri di Wisma Darul Aman di sini hari ini.

Pas Kedah semakin terdesak untk mendapatkan dana.Mereka dah bersikap seperti samseng.Imikah pemimpin Islam yang anda sanjung-sanjungkan??Fikirlah sendiri!!

Izzah dah tandus idea,sebab tu ajak Nong Chik berdebat pula!!

Naib Presiden PKR Nurul Izzah Anwar mencabar Menteri Wilayah dan Kesejahteraan Bandar, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin untuk berdebat pada 24 Februari ini berhubung dakwaan menteri itu sebelum ini yang mengatakan Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai itu lebih suka mengkritik berbanding berkhidmat untuk rakyat.

Sibuklah kau ni Izzah nak berdebat pula,berkhidmat pada rakyat tak nak. Kau sama je dengan ayah kau tu,meroyan saja kerjanya.Hasil dan sumbangan pada rakyat tak ada.Tapi cakap je lebih.Kau ni hanya gilakan kuasa dan pangkat,bukannya untuk membela nasib rakyat.Dah lah Izzah,orang dah muak dengan sandiwara kau dan bapak kau yang gila tu!!

Tukar Kedah ,kalau nak selamat!!

ALOR SETAR: Kerajaan Negeri Kedah meminta kerajaan persekutuan membayar pampasan sebanyak RM100 juta sekiranya mahu penebangan balak di negeri itu tidak dilakukan.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak berkata pampasan itu sebenarnya pernah dijanjikan oleh Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad semasa beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri, namun tidak pernah ditunaikan hingga kini.

"Kalau bising sangat (mengenai penebangan balak), bayar kami RM100 juta...hutan hak Kedah...lagipun tak tebang kawasan tadahan air, kawasan hutan simpan saja tebang," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Exco kerajaan negeri di Wisma Darul Aman di sini Rabu.

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata perjanjian oleh Dr Mahathir itu hanya dibuat secara lisan manakala Menteri Besar Kedah sebelum ini tidak pernah menuntut janji berkenaan.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Azizan sekali lagi menegaskan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kedah tidak akan dibubar selagi Perdana Menteri tidak membubarkan Dewan Rakyat.

"Saya takkan bubar, saya ada strategi. Saya tunggu isyarat pusat, tak boleh sesuka hati bubar," katanya dan menurutnya manifesto pilihan raya umum kerajaan negeri sudah siap.

Sementara itu, Azizan memberitahu tempoh lantikan Exco sedia ada akan berakhir 28 Feb ini dan upacara angkat sumpah dijangka diadakan pada 24 Feb ini, mengikut kelapangan Pengerusi Jemaah Pemangku Sultan Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Annuar Sultan Badlishah. -- BERNAMA

Memandangkan semua hutan termasuk Hutan Simpan Kekal juga telah gondol dikerjakan dalam masa sepenggal sahaja, maka bagaimana lagi Azizan boleh menjana pendapatan pada penggal depan?
Maka sebab itulah kenyataan azizan semakin meroyan....

Psy's management says M'sian Govt did not pay for Penang performance

KUALA LUMPUR: South Korean megastar Psy's recent performance in Penang was not paid for by the Malaysian Government, said his management firm, Scooter Braun Projects.

The company that manages K-pop sensation Psy of Gangnam Stylefame stated Wednesday that they had never been engaged or paid by the Government.

In a statement, the management stressed that news and articles circulating on the internet suggesting otherwise were pure conjecture and manifestly untrue.

"Scooter Braun Projects wishes to categorically state that we have never been engaged or paid by the Malaysian Government for the artiste's recent performance in Penang, Malaysia," said the statement Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak clarified that the performance by Psy at the 1Malaysia Chinese New Year Open House did not involve any public money.

He also said the public was not charged a fee to watch the artiste.

Psy's show was one of the highlights of the well-attended event organised by Penang Barisan Nasional at Han Chiang School field last Monday. - Bernama